Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort
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Major Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort KG
(5 February 1792 – 17 November 1853), styled Earl of Glamorgan until 1803 and Marquess of Worcester between 1803 and 1835, was a British peer, soldier and politician.
. Lord Granville Somerset
was his younger brother.
in the 10th Hussars on 18 June 1811. He was promoted to lieutenant
in the 14th Light Dragoons
on 21 August, but transferred back to the 10th Hussars on 6 September. Worcester also served as an aide-de-camp
to the Duke of Wellington
in Portugal
and Spain
between 1812 and 1814.
In 1813, Beaufort was returned as Member of Parliament
for the Monmouth Boroughs
, as a Tory, and continued to hold the seat until 1831. On 26 October 1815, he transferred to the 7th Hussars. In the following year, he was appointed a Lord of the Admiralty under Lord Liverpool
, serving on the Board until 1819. On 2 December 1819, he was made a captain in the 37th Foot, and on 30 December, was promoted to the rank of major.
In the contentious election of 1831
, Beaufort was defeated by Benjamin Hall
at Monmouth Boroughs. While Hall's victory was overturned on petition and Beaufort regained the seat, he again lost to Hall in the 1832 election
. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel commandant of the Gloucestershire Yeomanry in 1834. In 1835, he successfully contested West Gloucestershire, but left the House when he succeeded as Duke of Beaufort that November. In 1836, he became High Steward
of Bristol
and was appointed a Knight of the Garter
on 11 April 1842.
After the death of his wife in 1821, he married her younger half-sister, Emily Frances Smith, daughter of Charles Culling Smith
, on 29 June 1822; they were both daughters of Lady Anne Smith
, the Duke of Wellington's sister. (This marriage, in contravention of the canon laws of the Church of England, rendered his marriage potentially annullable for many years.) They had seven children, one son and six daughters:
Beaufort died and was buried in 1853, aged 61 at Badminton House
, Gloucestershire
. He is best known today for his two marriages, and his involvement, as a very young man, with the courtesan Harriette Wilson
, to whom he apparently proposed marriage.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(5 February 1792 – 17 November 1853), styled Earl of Glamorgan until 1803 and Marquess of Worcester between 1803 and 1835, was a British peer, soldier and politician.
Background
Beaufort was the eldest son of Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort, and Lady Charlotte Sophia, daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of StaffordGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford
Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1746 to 1754 and as The Earl Gower from 1754 to 1786, was a British politician.-Background:...
. Lord Granville Somerset
Lord Granville Somerset
Lord Granville Charles Henry Somerset PC was a British Tory politician. He held office under Sir Robert Peel as First Commissioner of Woods and Forests between 1834 and 1835 and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1841 and 1846.-Background and education:Somerset was the second son of...
was his younger brother.
Military and political career
Beaufort was commissioned a cornetCornet (military rank)
Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of commissioned officer in a British cavalry troop, after captain and lieutenant. A cornet is a new and junior officer.- Traditional duties :The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet"....
in the 10th Hussars on 18 June 1811. He was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 14th Light Dragoons
14th King's Hussars
The 14th King's Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1715. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 14th/20th Hussars in 1922....
on 21 August, but transferred back to the 10th Hussars on 6 September. Worcester also served as an aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
between 1812 and 1814.
In 1813, Beaufort was returned as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Monmouth Boroughs
Monmouth Boroughs (UK Parliament constituency)
Monmouth Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency consisting of several towns in Monmouthshire...
, as a Tory, and continued to hold the seat until 1831. On 26 October 1815, he transferred to the 7th Hussars. In the following year, he was appointed a Lord of the Admiralty under Lord Liverpool
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool KG PC was a British politician and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since the Union with Ireland in 1801. He was 42 years old when he became premier in 1812 which made him younger than all of his successors to date...
, serving on the Board until 1819. On 2 December 1819, he was made a captain in the 37th Foot, and on 30 December, was promoted to the rank of major.
In the contentious election of 1831
United Kingdom general election, 1831
The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to...
, Beaufort was defeated by Benjamin Hall
Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover
Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover PC , known as Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt, between 1838 and 1859, was a British civil engineer and politician.-Political career:...
at Monmouth Boroughs. While Hall's victory was overturned on petition and Beaufort regained the seat, he again lost to Hall in the 1832 election
United Kingdom general election, 1832
-Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807....
. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel commandant of the Gloucestershire Yeomanry in 1834. In 1835, he successfully contested West Gloucestershire, but left the House when he succeeded as Duke of Beaufort that November. In 1836, he became High Steward
High steward (civic)
High steward is an honorary title bestowed by the councils or charter trustees of certain towns and cities in England. Originally a judicial office with considerable local powers, by the 17th century it had declined to a largely ceremonial role. The title is usually awarded for life, and in some...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and was appointed a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
on 11 April 1842.
Family
Beaufort married Georgiana Frederica Fitzroy (1792–1821), daughter of the Hon. Henry FitzRoy and Lady Anne Wellesley, on 25 July 1814. They had two daughters:- Lady Charlotte Augusta Frederica Somerset (1816–1850), married, on 5 December 1844, Baron Philipp von NeumannPhilipp von NeumannBaron Philipp von Neumann , was an Austrian diplomat.-Birth and family:Neumann was born in Brussels , the son of Carl von Neumann and his wife Marie Ducpetiaux...
(4 December 1781 – 14 January 1851) , an Austrian diplomat, by whom she had issue. - Lady Georgiana Charlotte Anne Somerset (1817–1884), married, in 1836, Christopher Bethell-CodringtonChristopher William CodringtonSir Christopher William Codrington , of Dodington, Gloucestershire, was a British MP for East Gloucestershire between 7 August 1834 and 24 June 1864 and a landowner in Gloucestershire....
, MP (1805–1864) and had issue.
After the death of his wife in 1821, he married her younger half-sister, Emily Frances Smith, daughter of Charles Culling Smith
Charles Culling Smith
Charles Culling Smith, sometimes called Culling Charles Smith was a British politician and courtier.-Family:He was the son of Charles Smith, Governor of Madras, and nephew of Sir Culling Smith, 1st Baronet....
, on 29 June 1822; they were both daughters of Lady Anne Smith
Lady Anne Smith
Lady Anne Smith, previously Fitzroy was the sister of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.She was born Lady Anne Wesley, daughter of Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington and his wife Anne Hill, daughter of Arthur Hill-Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon.On 7 January 1790 she married Henry...
, the Duke of Wellington's sister. (This marriage, in contravention of the canon laws of the Church of England, rendered his marriage potentially annullable for many years.) They had seven children, one son and six daughters:
- Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of BeaufortHenry Somerset, 8th Duke of BeaufortCaptain Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort KG, PC, DL , styled Earl of Glamorgan until 1835 and Marquess of Worcester from 1835 to 1853, was a British peer, soldier and Conservative politician...
(1824–1899), married Lady Georgiana Charlotte Curzon and had issue. - Lady Emily Blanche Charlotte Somerset (1828–1895), married George Hay-Drummond, 12th Earl of KinnoullGeorge Hay-Drummond, 12th Earl of KinnoullGeorge Hay-Drummond, 12th Earl of Kinnoull was a Scottish earl.He was the son of Thomas Robert Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull, and Louisa Burton Rowley. He married Lady Emily Blanche Charlotte Somerset, daughter of Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort, and Emily Frances Smith, on 20 July, 1848...
and had issue. - Lady Rose Caroline Mary Somerset (1829–1885), who eloped to marry Captain Francis Frederick Lovell.
- Lady Henriëtta Louisa Priscilla Somerset (1831–1863), married John Morant.
- Lady Geraldine Harriett Anne Somerset (1832–1915).
- Lady Katherine Emily Mary Somerset (1834–1914), married Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron OrmathwaiteArthur Walsh, 2nd Baron OrmathwaiteArthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite was a British politician, the son of John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite.He was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Leominster in 1865, resigning in 1868 by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead...
. - Lady Edith Frances Wilhelmina Somerset (1838–1915), married William Denison, 1st Earl of LondesboroughWilliam Denison, 1st Earl of LondesboroughWilliam Henry Forester Denison, 1st Earl of Londesborough , known as The Lord Londesborough from 1860 to 1887, was a British peer and Liberal politician. He was also one of the main founders of Scarborough FC....
, and had issue.
Beaufort died and was buried in 1853, aged 61 at Badminton House
Badminton House
Badminton House is a large country house in Gloucestershire, England, and has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century, when the family moved from Raglan Castle, which had been ruined in the English Civil War...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. He is best known today for his two marriages, and his involvement, as a very young man, with the courtesan Harriette Wilson
Harriette Wilson
Harriette Wilson was a celebrated British Regency courtesan, whose clients included the Prince of Wales, the Lord Chancellor and four future Prime Ministers.- Life :...
, to whom he apparently proposed marriage.